Evoking a Spirit

Evoking is a ritual used to communicate with a spirit that has been summonsed. Seen as we are all spirit it is possible to evoke the spirit of another Agent for Magickal Communication.

Evocation: the manifestation of an entity either outside of, or from (that topic is highly debateable and is usually being debated somewhere) your psyche at your will.

Most of the classic texts on magic deal with evocation of some sort, and about half the time, making a deal with that spirit, the other half of the time commanding it in the name of your god.

To many magicians (and orders) evocation is the pinnacle of the magickal art, most occult orders only allowing Adepti to even attempt it.

Key of Solomon the King (also called the Greater Key of Solomon and Claviculus Solomonis) is the classic text on the subject, with all the tools you need and rites to be observed, etc. The Goetia (from the Lesser Key of Solomon) is probably the most popular system for evocation out there, and most likely the most widely used.

These classic texts outline a complex system for tool creation, observations, etc. These are most often called "blinds", decoys so that those not in the know about it will follow these 'outrageous' instructions, but since all of that is conjecture, I believe more that those people believed in those rites, and following it with full belief might probably lend to a wholly different experience than the modern "free form" evocations.

I will now give the outline of evoking an entity, from my own personal magickal diary:

This is my physical tool list:
*Robe, Ring, and Lamen
*Sword or Wand
*Mirror/Crystal (if you are scrying the spirit)
-Lamp
-Perfumes and Censer
-Magickal Journal

These are the other tools:
-A Banishing
-Setting of an energy circle (also known as astral defenses)
-An empowering rite
-The Conjuration
-Sigil of the entity

(The banishing and the setting of an energy circle is usually two parts of the same ritual, ala Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram or the Setting of the Wards of Power. The empowering ritual is just something to draw in more power, like the solar grounding ritual or the qabalistic cross/calyx. It is to note that all three of these tools are contained in the Bornless Ritual by Aleister Crowley. The Conjuration can be taken from any grimoire that you like, or you could write your own, as long as it gets your mind in that place for magick and feels powerful, it will work)

(Above, an * means that it's not entirely needed, but then again, none of the physical tools are needed, if you can get results without them, then toss 'em) All the physical tools will need to be consecrated for the purpose of performing magick, as for such rituals, make one up, or google for one, there are tonnes out there for every system and style.

Now, the robe, ring, and lamen are used to get into your 'magickal personality', to send your senses a message that magick is about to be done and to show your purity/authority as a magician of the art. The sword is used when an entity must be summoned with force (and when there is a possibility of danger) and the wand when an entity can be expected to fully cooperate. It's my opinion that the wand lends to a more direct connection. The perfumes and the censer on which they burn are used to charge the ritual area with ressonant energy/draw a connection from the spell to the sphere that you associate with it (more messages to your subconscious) And the Magickal Journal, which is what I would say is the only required physical tool, is there to record your rituals in and your results of said rituals.

In order to begin to plan an evocation, you'll need to pick a spirit and get it's sigil. There are TONNES of books out there and countless (verily) spirits out there that people have recorded. I suggest http://www.deliriumsrealm.com/delirium/demonlistA-E.asp for a list of demons and their sigils, http://www.steliart.com/angelology_7_sigils.html for various angels and their sigils. Be sure to pick an entity who can fulfill your desire, trying to evoke a spirit of anger to get you money may result in him not even coming.

Alright, now what you've all been waiting for: the complete ritual outline:
-A preliminary prayer (improvised is best)
-Statement of Intent
-Banishing of the Chamber
-Setting of the Astral Defenses (includes creating the astral triangle)
-Empowering Ritual
-Charging the Chamber
-Conjurations
-Repetition of the Name of the Spirit
-Welcoming of the Spirit
-Conversation/Meditation/Scrying/Other Work to be done with the Spirit
-Thanksgivings
-Liscense to Depart
-Banishing of the Chamber
-Statement of End of Rite
-A prayer of thanks to your god

(The charging of the chamber has to do with either a planetary, elemental, or zodialogical ritual to charge the chamber with resonant energies)

During the entire ritual, you should be focusing on the name and sigil of the spirit. If you are using a triangle, then your gaze should be as much as possible at that triangle with the sigil in it, if not, then your eyes should be constantly on the sigil until the spirit comes.

If you did everything just right, then you should have evoked an entity and sent him/her off to do your will. Congrats!

But, if you didn't, don't give up, just keep at it, don't let up, you MUST work at it, as this is considered to many to be the most difficult art in magick.

Last note, BANISH, BANISH, BANISH! Think you're possessed? Banish Think that the demon wants to drag you into the abyss? Banish. You get the idea

And as much as I just wrote about this art...this is only a superficial overview of it. For further explanation, I've included a recommened reading list.

Recommended Reading:
-Book 4 by Aleister Crowley
-Summoning Spirits by Konstantinos
-The Key of Solomon the King, translated by S.L. MacGregor Mathers
-The Goetia, translated by the above, edited by Aleister Crowley
-The Book of Ceremonial Magic by A.E. Waite
-The Golden Dawn by Israel Regardie
-Mysteria Magica by Denning & Phillips
-Liber KKK by Peter J. Carroll